


Warmth In His Arms

by Queen Bee (untakenbeepun)



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [6]
Category: Kaleidotrope (Podcast)
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Carrying, Cuddling, Does Bee Have A Thing For Being Carried? Undeniably Yes, Drew warms Harrison up, Fluff, Ice, Other, Snuggling, Worried Drew, baths, protective Drew
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21736531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/untakenbeepun/pseuds/Queen%20Bee
Summary: On a date, a frozen lake spells trouble for Harrison after he falls into the icy water.
Relationships: Drew/Harrison (Kaleidotrope)
Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1515029
Comments: 11
Kudos: 34





	Warmth In His Arms

**Author's Note:**

> Bad Things Happen Bingo Prompt: Falling Through Ice

Sidlesmith did winter the way Sidlesmith did everything: with a huge amount of fanfare and opportunity for tropes. A year ago, Drew would have said a sharp, “no, thank you,” to the whole affair, shut himself up in his dorm room and hibernated until spring, the heating on as high as it would go, avoiding the outdoors in case of stray snowballs that would drench him in cold water for the rest of day, leaving him shivering, cold, and irritable.

This year, however, Drew found himself more excited than he could possibly imagine himself being, because suddenly, with Harrison by his side, winter didn’t seem like such a cold and lonely month. Now he could look forward to slow evenings, cuddled up together in blankets, making each other hot chocolate and having so many wonderful ways to warm themselves up. Getting caught in a snowball fight wasn’t so bad with Harrison by his side, pink-nosed and bright-eyed, that sunshine smile of his lightening up even the darkest day.

So when Harrison suggested a walk around Stoneybrook lake, Drew didn’t even protest about the cold, too busy with thoughts of Harrison’s hand in his, tucked into Drew’s side for warmth, could even hear the sound of him giggling when Drew couldn’t stop himself from kissing his cold, pink nose.

 _God,_ when had he become such a romantic?

Harrison met him outside of his dorm, bouncing from foot to foot to keep himself warm. “Hi,” he said, waving a bare hand at Drew. “I forgot my gloves. So, you’ll have to hold my hand. To keep it warm.”

Drew raised a sceptical eyebrow. “You didn’t leave them behind on purpose, did you?”

“No!” Harrison said, scandalised, by his eyes betray him with a twinkle. “That would be silly.”

“Because you know you don’t have to come up with an elaborate scheme to get me to hold your hand,” Drew said, his heart thumping hard in his chest as he took Harrison’s hand in his. “You can just ask.”

A blush coloured Harrison’s cheeks. “Good to know.”

He curled his other arm around Drew’s, warming his cold hand in Drew’s side, his cheek pressing against Drew’s shoulder. “Who knew you’d make such a good radiator?” 

“I’m glad I play such a helpful role in your life.”

Harrison grinned into Drew’s shoulder. They walked together out of the campus grounds and towards Stoneybrook park, Harrison chattering away about some new Sidlesmith function, and about the snow, and winter, and Drew was content to just listen, Harrison’s excitable voice relaxing him in a way that only Harrison could.

Stoneybrook park had been covered by a complete blanket of snow, and Harrison squealed as they opened the gate, unlatching from Drew’s shoulder to run and make footprints through a fresh patch. Drew watched with a fond smile. Harrison never seemed to run out of energy. Nothing every grew old for him, he was always excited by everything, delighted by every experience, every new thing. Drew had forgotten what it was like to let himself enjoy something without also worrying about when it would end. With Harrison, he always knew that there’d be something new to feel good about, to be excited for.

Drew followed him, making his own footprints in the snow. Harrison ran back to him.

“Drew,” he said, “my hands are cold.”

“Should have worn gloves, then,” Drew teased.

“ _Dreeeew.”_ Harrison pouted.

Drew grinned and took Harrison’s hands, rubbing them in between his, and then kissing them gently.

“Drew,” Harrison said, a moment later, a smile coiling at the edge of his lips. “My lips are cold too.”

Drew laughed and swept Harrison up into a kiss, wrapping his arms around Harrison’s waist to hold him close. They kissed for several minutes, the world around them fading away as they lost themselves in each other, Drew smiling into the kiss, his heart bursting with a kind of joy that he never thought he’d be able to feel.

And then Harrison stuck his cold hands up Drew’s shirt and he jumped back with a yelp. 

Harrison bent over and giggled.

“Right, you’re gonna get it,” Drew said, menacingly, but he couldn’t keep himself from laughing.

Harrison ran off, still giggling as Drew tore after him, catching up and wrapping his arms around Harrison’s waist, lifting him up and spinning him around. Harrison’s laugh was a beautiful sound, twinkling like starlight, and Drew had decided long ago that he was going to do everything he could to keep getting Harrison to make that sound.

Harrison stilled in his arms, resting back against Drew’s chest, his hands resting on Drew’s arm around his waist. Drew rests his chin on the top of his head, Harrison letting out a contented noise from the back of his throat.

“I’m so happy,” Harrison said, after a short, comfortable silence. “With you, I mean. It’s the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Drew’s heart soared. “Me too,” he said. “I don’t think you know how much.”

Harrison turned in Drew’s arms so that his face was pressed into Drew’s chest, hugging him properly.

“We should go see if the lake has frozen over!” Harrison said after a few moments, eyes widening. He slid his hand down to grab Drew’s, and together they ran down the path, leaving a flurry of footprints behind them. 

The lake was indeed frozen. Stoneybrook lake was sizeable, home to several ducks, and even swans in the spring and summertime. It was a much-loved place by Sidlesmith students, and couples often spent their time taking walks by the lake, feeding the ducks and watching the water. Now it was covered in ice, stretching wide across the park.

Harrison looked delighted by it, running down to the edge and staring at the frozen water. “Do you think it’s safe to walk on?”

“I wouldn’t trust it.”

Harrison put one foot onto the ice and tested it, pushing down. The ice held, and Harrison’s eyes brightened.

Drew saw his intent. “Harrison, don’t,” he said, “it’s dangerous.”

Harrison wasn’t listening. He took a step onto the ice slowly, and then another, his steps growing surer as the ice continued to hold. His steps got quicker and quicker and he let out a laugh as he walked further towards the middle of the pond. 

Concern began to settle into Drew’s stomach.

“Harrison!” he said, his voice laced with worry. “Come away from the middle! You don’t know how strong the ice is!”

“Don’t worry!” Harrison called, “it’s holding fine!”

And then the ice beneath his feet cracked.

Harrison’s feet stumble over the crack, he slipped, the crack widening, before an entire chunk of ice cracks away from under his feet, and Harrison shot down into the freezing cold water below. 

For a moment, time stopped for Drew. He stood frozen in place, heart pounding in his chest, for a second wondering if what he’d seen in front of his eyes was real. Then time sped up again, and Harrison was in the water, and before Drew could think of anything else, he was yelling Harrison’s name. The ice was cracking all through the lake, so he waded into the freezing cold water, barely even feeling the cold as he raced to grab Harrison, pulling him up into his arms and carrying him back out to the path.

“Harrison,” Drew said frantically, laying Harrison down on the floor, “Harrison, speak to me. Say something.”

Harrison shivered violently, his teeth chattering uncontrollably, as he curled up into a ball on the floor.

“Harrison!” Drew said as he took off his coat, wrapping it around Harrison’s quivering form, taking off his gloves and sliding them onto Harrison’s hands for good measure. “Talk to me, Harrison, come on!”

“C-Can’t take your c-coat,” Harrison mumbled. “You’ll be c-cold.”

“Never mind me!” Drew said, almost hysterically. “Stay awake, okay? We’ve got to get you home and into some dry clothes as quickly as possible.”

He picked Harrison back up, lifting him swiftly into his arms. He could feel Harrison shivering against his chest, his face pressed against Drew’s jumper. Without a coat, Drew was starting to shiver too. He had to get them home fast, or else they’d both be in trouble. 

He walked briskly, holding Harrison tightly in his arms, thanking his stars that the Sidlesmith campus was only a short walk away. Harrison was still shuddering when they made it back home. Drew settled him onto the bed, immediately going to turn all the radiators on.

“I’ll run you a bath,” he said, biting his lip as he watched Harrison quivering on the bed.

The bath filled up and Drew returned to find that Harrison had barely been able to take off Drew’s coat, his wet shirt still clinging to his skin.

Drew frowned. “I should have taken off your wet clothes,” he said. “That’s what you’re supposed to do to stop someone getting hypothermia.”

“T-that, I would have liked to s-see,” Harrison said, and even cold and shivering, he managed to shoot Drew a smirk.

Drew blushed.

“Come on, I’ll help you get undressed.”

Even in his state, Harrison grinned, looking up to give another coy smile, opening his mouth to say something else before Drew interrupted him. “Don’t say whatever you’re going to say. You need to warm up.”

Drew helped him get undressed, leading him towards the bath, and gently helping him in. Just before he turned to go, Harrison’s hand shot out to stop him.

“Get in with me?” he asked.

“Harrison, I don’t think now’s the best time for that—”

“Not like that,” Harrison said, his voice faltering. “I just, need you.”

Drew hesitated, his heart panging, cheeks hot at the thought of being that intimate with Harrison. But one look into Harrison’s eyes made his mind up, so he stripped, and sank into the bath first, opening out his arms so that Harrison could fit snugly into his chest, warm water covering them both.

Gradually, Harrison began to stop shivering, the combination of Drew’s body heat and the water warming him up until he wasn’t worryingly cold anymore. Drew held him close to his chest, nose pressed into his hair, just breathing him in. He’d been so focused on trying to get him out of the water and back home safe, that he hadn’t had enough time to process the worry that had seized him the moment he’d seen Harrison go underneath the ice. Now that Harrison was safe, Drew never wanted him to leave his arms.

“Sorry,” Harrison mumbled into his chest.

“Hmm?”

“I should have listened to you. You told me it wouldn’t be safe, and I didn’t listen.”

“It’s okay,” Drew said gently, pressing a kiss to the top of Harrison’s head. “I’m just glad that you’re safe.” 

“Sorry,” Harrison said again. “I don’t always think before I act.”

“I know. But I love you, anyway.”

Harrison stilled, turning his head to stare at Drew. “Say that again.”

“I love you?”

“…Say it again?”

Drew peppered kisses over Harrison’s shoulders, saying, “I love you, I love you, I love you,” while tickling his sides, Harrison squealing and splashing water out of the tub.

He was a giggling mess by the time Drew relented, turning over in Drew’s arms to press a kiss against his chest. “In case it wasn’t obvious,” Harrison said, “I love you too.”

He lifted his head up and kissed Drew slowly, hands reaching up to cup his cheeks. Drew’s hands wound around Harrison’s body, holding him tight.

Their lips parted for just a moment, foreheads brushing. “We should probably get out of the tub,” Drew whispered.

“Probably,” Harrison said, pulling him in for another kiss. 

Eventually, they both started to prune, and Drew didn’t want Harrison to get cold again, so he lifted him out of the tub.

“You have _got_ to stop doing this,” Harrison said with a smile, wrapping his arms around Drew’s neck as he carried him to the bedroom.

“Doing what?”

“Carrying me everywhere,” Harrison said. “I feel like I might pass out just from swooning.”

Drew huffed a laugh, rifling through his chest of drawers to pull out a jumper and a pair of pajama pants. The jumper was huge on Harrison, sleeves falling past his wrists. Drew felt his heart cave in just looking at him. Harrison was too adorable to deal with.

“C’mere,” Drew said after he’d got changed.

Harrison climbed into his arms and Drew wrapped a blanket around them both. Harrison was already starting to droop, the day’s events catching up to him very fast, his eyes fluttering shut as Drew held him close.

He heard the rustle of pages as Drew picked up the book he’d left on the bedside table. 

“Read to me?” Harrison whispered.

Drew began to read aloud, slow and soft, his voice warm as he read the words. Harrison hummed contently and let his eyes close, his head drooping atop Drew’s chest. A few minutes later, his breath evened out, and he was fast asleep.

Inching the book back onto the table, Drew reached for the light, switching it off, falling asleep with Harrison in his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr at [bee-elzebub](https://bee-ezlebub.tumblr.com/) and on twitter at [@untakenbeepun](https://twitter.com/untakenbeepun)


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